Becoming "...partakers of the divine nature... - Paperback

by Richard C. Chewning (Author)

The book promotes a serious examination of the attributes of God and his desire to impart specific aspects of his divine nature into the renovated hearts of his adopted children through the work of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:4) to the end that their renovated lives will glorify God the Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16). It can be thought of as three books in one: Part 1 (Chapters 2-12) examines and discusses the attributes of God as they are described in Scripture and Stephen Charnock's The Existence and Attributes of God, first published in 1682. Part 2 (Chapters 13-20) discusses the biblical concept of the heart and the interaction between the distinct spheres of the heart - the mind, desires/passions, and will. And Part 3 (Chapters 21-27) describes what a maturing renovated life might look like as the Holy Spirit is imparting aspects of the divine nature into the hearts of God's adopted children in different spheres of life - dating, engagement, marriage, rearing a family, singleness, business, politics, and the world at large. Each "book" could stand alone but together they provide understanding into how God re-establishes in our heart the divine nature that was lost at the fall of mankind. Even though we "live and move and exist" in God (Acts 17:28) we cannot exhaustively know him, but it is nevertheless possible for his image-bearers to possess true knowledge of him and to become - by his work alone - more like him.

Author Biography

Richard (Dick) C. Chewning graduated from Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, and the University of Washington and did post doctoral study at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. He taught at the University of Richmond for twenty-five years, and held the Harry and Hazel Chavanne Chair of Christian Ethics in Business at Baylor University for fifteen years. During his academic career Dick also served on seven different Boards of Directors/Trustees for a total of 93 years of service and served as Chairman of the Board for four of those organizations for a total of 31 years. He was also honored to serve twice as the Moderator of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Synod and once as the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in America. Dick's academic passion is reading God's Word and seeking to discern how it speaks to God's children who are called to the field of ?business?. In doing this he has over one hundred articles, essays, and reviews published, along with writing and editing seven books. The majority of his writing is done with members of the Christian Business Faculty Association in mind. He wants Christian business faculty to understand, as thoroughly as possible, Christ's mind as His revelation addresses the moral challenges that confront all who are called to work in business. He loves Shirley, his wife of more than 60 years, and their children and their children's children deeply but Dick's greatest love is for the Triune God who revealed Himself most clearly through the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of His only son, the Messiah, and who sends His Spirit to dwell with those who are given to Christ as His inheritance. To this end Dick considers it a high calling to serve as an Elder in Christ's church and to be granted the privilege of teaching in the church for many years. He wants everyone to know that God the Creator is a Savior offering grace and mercy to all who truly love Him.